PATENTS

A food serving dispenser and protected food servings dispensed from the dispenser. The dispenser comprises a cylindrical container having a central stem that extends upward from the base of the container. The stem and container walls are dimensioned to receive a cylindrical protected food serving that comprises a food serving, such as a slice of cream cheese, that is sandwiched between two layers of film, preferably a plastic film such as cellophane or similar. The plastic film layers have tabs that are staggered within the cylindrical container to allow removal of a single protected food slice by grasping the tabs and pulling the protected food slice from the cylindrical container. The food servings are sealed within the plastic film, which is separable at perforations by pulling the tabs apart.

20130056030 -
BEVERAGE CAN CLEANING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE THEREOFA beverage can cleaning apparatus for cleaning beverage cans before they are dispensed from vending machines. The apparatus has a can holder, a hinged platform, tubes, a first nozzle, a second nozzle and a sensing block that matches the profile of the can top periphery. The sensing block is depressed a compressed distance, the distance being dependent on the orientation of the can, and cleaning fluid or compressed air is selectively directed through the first or second nozzle. Subsequent to air or cleaning fluid being dispensed against the top of the beverage can, the can holder releases the hinged platform sending the beverage can into the vending machine's dispenser.